Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-03-28
Decadence orthe Strike.

The great labor agitation has produced a
stop ofstTikes. Generally, they have been
failures Why? Simply because they were
not we'll grounded Thousands OF men have
left work because i few demanded better
wages. Whole trades have abandoned their
benches at the dictetion Of men whom they
never saw por heard Of Employers who
have had naught bat the peasGntest reia-
lious with their workmen have suddenly
found themselves waited upon b. outsiders
wi Il demands which they could not grant,
and for which their men nave never asked.
Refusing, the latter have struck, saying
while they did so that they preferred TO re-
main, but must obey orders from some ire
sponsible source. Offers OF arbitration and
settlement are refused Workmen are de.
MED permission TO adjust their differences
directly with those who employ them, but
outside parties, with no stake and no inter-
est in the matter except self-interest and
self gloriGcation, claim the right to absolute
ly control the workmen. All this is outside
Of the outrages, the boycotting, and the
roting which unfortunately have accom-.
panied some recent strikes. But these
latter are violations Of law, TO be punished
as such, and have nothing to do with the
strike question considered by itself. Now,
the result of such system must be failure,
unless practically all the mechanics and
workingmen could be gathered into the
labor organizations and induced 10 promise
10 obey the orders given them by such
thoroughly unreliable and in many cases
dishonest men as manage strikes. More
than this, they must be made to swear to
refrain IRON working, even though they
want to work, so long as ordered, no mat
ter if they have no grievance; they must
swear 20 sir in idieness while wife and child
ren are starving, and promised aid from
''reief funds" is not forthcoming. The
workipgman OF this country must throw
away his Independence, become a soldier
under strict discipline, work or not work,
and all for what? To give 10 men
not so intelligent rs himself, with
nothing at stake save the salary he
pays them, the arbitrary disposal OF
his right to work. TO ALLEVIATE himseffrom
the men whose interests are identical with
his, and practically to make himself 81 con-
tract laborer, the contract to be made not by
himself, but by another This is what the
success OF the strike movement under the
walking delegate system would mean.
No wonder that every trial renders it's abso-
lutte failure more conspicuous. No wonder
that the laboriug men are tired OF this resort
to the arbitrament OF force, where they have
all the suffering in case OF defeat, and very
little reward for victory a strike is mani
festly unsuccessful. Everybody knows it
the strikers know it, Other men take their
places. Things 60 on. They wait patiently
for the promised victory wait patiently,
and then deceived and betrayed, they rise
and vote the strike of. But this is too late
for them The "walking delegate" has
flown. They remain tc shift for themselves
as best :hey may. The men are generally
fair about it, They admit their defeat as in
South Boston, and ask for work. But they
cannot expect to be hired again if other men
can be found who are loyal first to their own
interests and then to their employers.
Brotherly love and cooperation are not
built up of strikes and "tie.ups." The work.
men in this country the past year have paid
their tribute of endurance at the shrine of
the walking delegate" They had best
now begin to look out for themselves. The
net result so far has not been satisfactory.
Employers are not being intimidated, and
the strikes 90 not accomplish what arbitra-
ton could easily have effected. Worse than
that, various important industries for self
protection are planning how to avoid the
localities where strikes abound. The strike
as at present conducted is two edged
sword It breaks down all sense Of amity
and harmony between employers and en-
ployees.-B0Ston AdcertiSer.